Combined blending and sifting device



W. G. KIRCHHOFF COMBINED BLENDING AND SIFTING DEVICE Filed Aug. 14, 1924 4 hetS-Sheqt 1 H ll l HHHHIII Dec. 18, 1928.

" W. G. KIRCHHOFI'T COMBINED BLENDING AND SIF'X'ING Davies 4 Shoots-811651. 2

Filed Aug. 14, 1924 WILLIAM G. KIRCHHOFE W W aktaznu b Dec. 18, 1928.

W. GIKIRCHHOFF COMBINED BLENDING AND SIFTING DEVICE Filed Aug. 14, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 gnvemfoz WILLIAM G. Kmcrmor; 951% M Q attotncqi the pulvcrize Patented Dec. 18, 1928.

1 UNITED STATE s PATENT OFFICE.

mum G. nmnnorr, or CINCINNATI, 01110, nssmiron To THE .1. DAY 0011(- mm, or cmcmmrrr, 0 1310, A CORPORATION or 01:10.

dU IBII IED BLENDING AND SIFTING DEVICE.

Application filed August 14, 1924. Serial No.732,072.

My invention relates to a device forblending and mixing various products, generally in even mixture of the products in variable proportions.

. An object of my invention is to provide a simple and efficient device for the purpose ted Another object of my invention is to provide means whereby a minimum of operations and a minimum number of handlings of the various commodities are re uired, for effecting the blending and the si ting of the substances.

These and. other objects are attained by the merrns described herein, and disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation, parts being broken away, of the device embodying my invention.

F ig. 2 is an enlarged end elevation, parts being broken away, of the device shown in Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view on line 4 .4 of Fig.3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional View on line 55. of 2. i i

a generally as 16.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view line 66 of Fig. 1.

The device of my invention comprises a pair ofbins 10 and 11, adapted to discharge from their lowermost portionsthrough a suitable feed structure, shown generally at 12 in 6, into a trough 13 extending below both of the bins and containing a spiral screw 14. The trough 13 together with the screw 14 constitutes a substantially horizontal conveyor that discharges into the casing 15 of an elevator-or elevating conveyor, referred to Suitable elevating means are contained within the casing 15 for carrying the substance from the bottom of the casing 15 upwardly to a conveyor- 17 that discharges into a sifting mechanism 18.. The conveyor 17 may comprise a snitable casing 19'within which is contained a spiral screw or the like 20. The screw 20 is revolvedin any suitable manner, for example from the chitin 21 forming part of the elevator 16,

form, whereby to effect an suitable discharge nozzle or duct- 25. The nozzle or duct 25 may discharge into a suitable bln or other conta ner, not shown. The

shaft 3 extends through thetrough 13 and carries the screw 14. The shaft '23 carries means for actuating or driving the agitators 26 associated with the bins 10 and 11 for causing the substance. contained within the bins to pass thro'ughthc perforations 27 provided in the bottoms of said bins. By reference to Figs. 2 and 6, this structure will be readily understood.

The structures provided for actuating both of theagitat-ors are identical, wherefore the description of one will suffice for both, Referring to Fig. 2, it will be noted that the shaft 23 carries a gear 28 that drives agear 29 mounted ,on a stub shaft 30 supported by suitable braclrets 31, extendin from the base or frame 32 ofthe device. A ink 35 has its one end iiivotallymounted upon the gear 29, saidmounting being eccentric to the shaft 30. The other end of the link is pivotally mounted at the outer ends of a pair of cranks 31 having pivotal mountings upon the shaft 35 extending through one of the bins." lxteriorlv of the bin the shaft carries a ratchet wheel 36. The ratchet wheel disposed between the pair of cranks 34. A spring actuated pawl 37 carried by cranks 34 is adapt-ed to co-operztte with the ratchet wheel 36 for imparting intermitting rotatory motion to the shaft 35. Means are provided for adj LIStlIlg the stroke or arc through which the shaft 35 is moved. Said means comprises a plate or disc 38 revolubly mounted on shaft 35 for arcuate adjustment. The late or disc 38 is provided with a peripheral ange 39 tel? minating adjacent the pawl 37 and over which the pawl m ay move... By reference to Fig. 3. and in view of the foregoing explanation, it. will be evident that by adq'usting the disc 38 so as to expose various numbers of teethof the ratchet wheelto the pawl 37,- the are j 46 between which extend bars t7.

through which the shaft may be moved by the ratchet mechanism, may be modified. The disc 38 is provided with a plurality of slots 40 adapted to receive the bolt 41 that is piv-- otally mounted upon the frame 32, A nut 42 carried by the bolt 41 serves to fixedly position the plate 38 in various adjusted positions. A suitable locking dog 43 is provided to preclude movement of the ratchet wheel, except in a predetermined direction. The locking dog serves to restrain the ratchet wheel against movement when the pawl 37 is being moved in a clockwise direction, see Fig. 3. A suitable cover or protecting casing it may be provided to eucase the various mecln'znisms just described, and a suitable door if) may be provided in said casing, and through the opening with which said door is associated, access may be had to the bolt 41 and disc 38 for adjusting same. Within each of the bins the shafts 35 carry suitable discs The bars are moved through the substance contained within the bin, and move adjacent the openings 27 provided in the lower portions 12 of the bin, thereby serving to discharge the substance from the bins into the trough 13. From the foregoing, it will be readily evident that if the agitator associated with the bin 10 moves through an are twice the size of the are through which the bin 11 is moved, then the substance will be discharged into the trough 13 inproportions of two parts of the substance in container 10 to one part of thesuhstance within the container 11. It will be observed that as the substance from container 10 moves below the substance in'container 11, the substance discharged from container 11 is distributed evenly upon the substance moving from bin 10. It therefore, follows that when this admixture reaches the elevator 16, the mixing process will be carried further, while the parts of the admixture remain constant and practically even. The sifter 18 concludes the admixing of the substz'inces in the desired proportion, and at the same time conditions the admixed substance for the next operation, which, in bakeries would be the making up of dough from the admixture.

, Although the invention disclosed herein is iu'imarily intended for use in bakeries, for admixing flour, it will be readily evident that it can be employed to advantage for admixing cement and sand, etc.

The operation of the device is as follows:

Power from the motor 48 is transmitted to the shaft 23. The shaft 23 transmits motion to the individual ratchet mechanisms, thereby agitating the substances within the bins and causing said substances tobe discharged into the trough 13. The spiral screw associated with the shaft 23, moves the substances dischargedfrom the bins through the trough 13 into the casing 15. The elevator may be operated directly from the shaft 23 and serves to carry the admixture to the conveyor 17, from whence the admixture moves to the sifter 18. The admixed substance is removed by way of the conduit 25.

WhatIclaimis: i

1. In a flour sifting and blending device the combination of a plurality of bins having relatively elongated discharge openings arranged in closely adjacent end to end relation, a trough extending beneath said opening, agitators in said bins, a shaft in the trough, a conveyor screw on said shaft, adjustable means operable from said shaft whereby to impart differential intermittent rotarv movements to the several agitators for effecting discharge of substance over an exteiuled portion of the conveyor screw, the several substances being sul'ijccted to mixing during and after discharge, an elevator for receiving the substance driven from and moving in synchronism with the conveyor shaft and a revolving screen member driven from the conveyor shaft whereby the substance from the elevator is uniformly sifted and aerated.

2. A flour blender comprising a plurality of bins having elongated aligned discharge openings, a receiving trough extendin beneath said openings, a spiral conveyor a aptcd to mix and move flour from the discharge openings, agitators in the bins adapted to be driven at various and differential speeds from the conveyor shaft, an elevator receiving from the trough and operated from and in synchronism with the conveyor shaft, a transverse screw conveyor operated from the conveyor shaft and receiving mixed substance from the elevator anda revolving aerating siftcr screen connected to the last mentioned screw conveyor.

3. In a device of the class described the combination of an extended trough, a power driven screw conveyor tllGlGlfl, bins adapted to discharge into the trough substantially throughout the length thereof, adjustable agitators driven from the screw conveyor shaft and adapted to feed into the trough, the screw conveyor in said trough serving, to mix the discharge from the several bins as the substance is moved along the trough, and a revoluble screen drum operable from the conveyor shaft for uniformly ae'ating and sifting the substance from the trough.

4. In a combined blending and sifting device the combination of a horizontal conveyor and easing, an elevating conveyor, a hori zontal conveyor at the top of the elevating conveyor, a sitter communicating with the last mentioned horizontal conveyor. a series of bins mounted along the casing of the first mentioned casing, each of said bins having perforations communicating with the casing throughout the length of the bins, agitators in said bins, a single power means for actuating all of said conveyors and said sitter rotate the conveyor shaft and means connecting each agitator With the conveyor shaft and 10 adapted for independent adjustment ,for regulating discharge from the bins.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 9th day of August,

WILLIAM G. KIRCHHOFF. 

